Dusk's Light
by Blazing Blizzardstorm
Summary: Duskpaw's life has always been tough. First, his parents die from wild animals, leaving him and his sister, Rainpaw, parentless. After one day on a hunting patrol, Duskpaw returns to camp and finds Rainpaw, his only remaining kin, dead. He feels like he has no safe haven or home in his Clan until he finds that place. Second IvyClan challege: My Sacred Place, read and review :3


**My Second IvyClan challenge :3 please read and enjoy, this takes place in the original forest**

_**Dusk's Light**_

I stare into the middle of the clearing. Shock flows through me quickly, then just plain depression and grief take over. A small, petite, dappled gray she cat lies in the middle of the clearing. This cat is my sister, my dear Rainpaw. Her sky blue eyes now stare blankly. Her face is expressionless. The beautiful, young she cat known as my sister is dead. Her white paws are covered in blood.

I drop the sparrow that I was carrying and run over to my limp sister. "What happened to her," I yowl with grief through out the clearing.

One of the elders, the elderly gray tabby Thistleberry, slowly trots over to me, "It was her time, Duskpaw. There's nothing we can do. She died protecting her Clan from invading rogues while on her border patrol. The highest honor that could possibly be received. Foxstar gave her warrior name before she died. She's Raindapple now. Your mother and father would have been proud of her."

"She was the only family I had left! Frostdapple got killed by a badger, Scorchwing died in a battle with WindClan, and now this! Why is StarClan against me..." I wail.

Thistleberry licks my ear gently. "It's alright little one. It'll take time to recover. I know Rainpaw was one of your closest friends, but stay strong because she would want you to do that for her, and if you died, you would want her to do the same. Now, let's sit vigil."

A few cats came to gather, which consisted of Silverpaw, my sister's pale silvery gray best friend and the medicine cat apprentice; Nettlepaw, her brown tabby crush and friend; Blossomfur, her tortoiseshell and white mentor; and the rest of the elders. We sit until dawn, when she needs to buried, yet I feel like burying her is like ripping a piece of my heart out. Other cats come up to Raindapple during the night to sit vigil for a small amount of time and to say their last goodbyes. Raindapple was a great cat who everyone loved, why couldn't I die instead? Raindapple was good at everything, but I'm only good at running and hunting. Raindapple was funny, pretty, brave, noble, outgoing, and friendly, yet I am shy, nervous, and clumsy. Time flies quickly and it is time to bury my dead sister. The elders pick up her body to bury her. "Wait... I would like to help bury Raindapple. She is my sister still." I stutter out.

"You can help, but Nettlefang might have you do your apprentice duties today, knowing him," Thistleberry sighs.

I sigh also. My spiky furred dark brown tabby mentor never had really liked me. He did not like me because of my mother. Nettlefang and Frostdapple once had a "thing" for each other, but then Nettlefang started to get snappy with her. So, Frostdapple went off with Scorchwing. They became mates, and Frostdapple gave birth to Raindapple and me. "He did love my mother once, so he might understand. Did he ever lose a littermate?" I ask Thistleberry.

She sighs again and replies, "yes, he did. When he was an apprentice like you, his sister and brother were killed by a group of rogues while they were hunting together. He was heartbroken. He didn't eat or sleep for days, but then he decided to stay strong for his siblings in StarClan. You'll impress him if you stay strong." She whispers to me.

* * *

After we bury Raindapple, I walk back to camp slightly depressed with my tail drooping. I have no family left because my parents' parents are dead, and their siblings are all dead or were an only kit. I trudge over the apprentice den to see Nettlefang waiting for me. I sigh. He is not going to let me rest, even if I sit a vigil all night and I quickly take note of that. "Hello, Nettlefang. What training will we be doing today?" I ask unenthusiastically.

He looks sympathetically at me and answers, "you have the day off Duskpaw. Get some rest because you need time to recover. I want you to go hunting tonight though to keep you active at least. I know what you're going through."

He surprises me. Nettlefang is typically always very sharp tongued and pushing me, but right now he is very caring and considerate. "Thank you, Nettlefang. I'll go hunting tonight to make sure that I keep up with the other apprentices." I manage to let a small mew because I am so shocked.

I walk into the bramble thicket, which is the apprentice den. I look around to see Nettlepaw already curled up in his nest asleep. Pinepaw and Lightpaw are also fast asleep because they all were not picked to go on the dawn patrol. I sigh. I envy Nettlepaw, Pinepaw, and Lightpaw. They all are siblings, and have not known what feels like to lose their whole entire family. The only other apprentice who feels my pain slightly would be Silverpaw. Her brother, Swiftkit, died the day before he would have became an apprentice.

I step over the sleeping siblings, and then, I curl into my own moss nest embroidered with soft feathers. I instantly fall into a deep slumber.

* * *

My eyes flutter slowly open. I get up and do a good, long stretch. I give a huge yawn. The thicket shakes, and a pretty white she cat enters the den. "Hello, Duskpaw. That was quite a big yawn you made." She purrs with amusement.

I sit down and lick my chest in embarassment. I never know what to say to Lightpaw. She gives me butterfly in my stomach. She's just so beautiful, funny, and sweet... and what am I? A nobody with no family. She has a mother, a father, and two siblings who all love her very much and play with her all the time. I manage to squeak out, "Hi, Lightpaw. What time of day is it?"

"Just before sunset. Are you ok? I know you were very upset last night, and I want to know... if you are all right." She mews calmly.

I sigh. I could not just lie to her, and she cares about me. "I'm not alright. Raindapple was one of my greatest friends and the best sister I could wish for. She was always there for me through thick and thin... and now she's... gone." I mew quietly.

"It's alright. I'm here for you." She purrs. She wraps her body around me. I feel comforting sensation.

"I have to go on a hunt. Want to come?" I ask.

"Of course! I've been sitting around camp after I finished the sunhigh patrol! We have to tell Foxstar that we're leaving camp though." She answers happily.

* * *

_6 moons later_

We bound our of camp happily. This is the most fun that I've had since Lightpaw, well now Lightrose, decided to help me recover from my losses. She helped me realize that I was not a nobody, but she taught me that I just needed to put myself out there. She turned my life away from terrible darkness and depression, and then she lead me into her light.

"Come on, Duskwing! Don't be a turtle! The sun will be down soon!" Lightrose mews playfully.

"You ready for race? I'm the fastest cat in the Clan, and I'm hard to beat!" I challenge her.

"Alright, race you to the hollow! Go!" She mews playfully And takes off into a full sprint.

"Hey! That's no fair. You get a head start!" I purr and then speed after her.

The sun sets as we run through the muddy marshes of ShadowClan, and dusk turns to night. The newleaf breeze brushes my pelt and gives me a new sense of warmth. I eventually catch up to Lightrose and keep her same pace. The way she ran was so graceful. Her white pelt shines a silvery white color in the moonlight, making her look like a shining star of Silverpelt. She is perfect.

We slow down as we reach our secret mossy hollow. It is only three fox-lengths wide by two fox-lengths long. A small pool trickles at the end of the hollow. We enter the hollow silently to take in the hollow's beauty. We both sit by the tiny pool surrounded by moss. The pool's water reflects the stars of Silverpelt above. My dark blue eyes beam into her pretty ivy green orbs. I feel Raindapple's presence oddly. I feel someone whisper to me,_ she's yours forever and always, what are you waiting for brother?!_

I smile and purr, "Lightrose would you be my mate? You've been with me during my darkest hours, and I will be there for you when trouble finds you."

She purrs solemnly, "I will be your mate, Duskwing. I love you, my furball." She licks my ear and sits right next to me. We entwine our tails together. She rests her head on my shoulder. I feel at home, my special world. After my sister died, where ever Lightrose was is my home, and where ever she may roam, that is my sacred place.

**_I hope you liked the DuskxLight going on. I was originally not going to have Lightpaw at all and make Duskpaw find the hollow and make it his sacred place, but I was in the mood for some good romance and happiness because I just saw The Host, which was really boring and the love story was crappy, and after my last very depressing one-shot. Anyways, read and review. Tell me what you think. No flamers!_**


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